It has been a great honor and pleasure to serve the citizens of Mountain Home

since January 2019. I can honestly say, not a single day has passed that I have
not enjoyed it. I have the privilege to not only work each day with
approximately 175 city employees all dedicated to serving the city, but also
many organizations in this community all doing what they can to make
Mountain Home the place we call home. I would like to announce today that I
will be a candidate for reelection this fall for what I consider and have said
many times during the last four years, the best job in Mountain Home, and that
being the office of mayor.

I would like to touch on some areas the city has achieved during the last four
years.
In 2019, the Water and Sewer Department began working on the Highway 62
East expansion from Walmart to CR 28. In 2020, the expansion continued along
Hwy 62E from CR28 to Midland Marine. All properties now on Highway 62 East,
except for one on the southside, are inside the city limits. In 2021, the
department began replacing all the concrete sewer lines along Dyer and
Hickory and are still in progress. The Waste Water Treatment Plant rehabilitation
project started in 2021, and is still underway. With the help of a grant from
Delta Regional in the amount of $307,000, the city started the Hwy 62E project
from CR 28 to O’Reilly Auto Parts to enable service for the future home of the
new Sharp Family Fire Substation.

The Street Department has had major projects and rebuilds to include Spring,
Thorn, Gentry and Long Street and Western Hills Way. Burnett and Medical Plaza
also had major rebuilds and sidewalk additions. Cooper and Louann Streets are
still in progress. The Street Department has also assisted in the park projects at
Clysta Willett, Keller and Hickory.

Recently, the Police Department was able to add two new patrol positions. That
hasn’t happened in 20 years!

The Fire Department received a donation of 3 acres from Sonny Sharp along
Highway 62 East that will be the future home of the Sharp Family Fire Substation.
Since this donation, the city began the fill work for the construction of the
substation, which we are hoping to begin in 2023. The Fire Department also
acquired four new fire apparatus trucks and a used ladder truck for a total of
five pieces of equipment being updated.
The Parks Department has taken over both the youth recreation baseball and
softball programs. The programs have grown each year, with the exception of
the covid shutdown in 2020.

In 2019, the city applied for the State Park and Outdoor Recreation Program
grant, and for the first time in over 40 years we received $98,000 for
improvements at Clysta Willett Park.

In 2020, the city started a park rehabilitation project to overhaul Clysta Willett,
Keller, Hickory and Cooper parks, as well as the LC Sammons Youth Center. This
rehabilitation project also includes a new community center to be built in
McCabe Park. Due to Covid, this project was delayed until March 9, 2021, and
approved in an election to be funded by a temporary ½ sales tax until bonds
are repaid and a permanent ¼ sales tax to fund operations and maintenance
of the parks system.

In 2021, the Parks Department applied for another outdoor recreation grant
which was received for the 2022 grant cycle in the amount of $225,000. This
grant is being used to fund the all-inclusive playground at Hickory Park, which is
currently scheduled to open in late May or early June of 2022. Construction also
began at Hickory Park on the new ADA restrooms and parking lot. A first for our
city, this all-inclusive playground will allow all children, regardless of ability, to
play.

This year, as part of the park rehabilitation project, the city began the overhaul
of Keller Park. The softball fields have been turfed, concession stand remodeled
and all improvements should be completed the summer of 2022. At this time,
softball is being played on the new fields almost nightly.

Improvements to Clysta Willett park will start during mid to late summer of this
year after the current baseball seasons concludes.

Design and engineer layout of the new community center is well underway, and
we are hoping to begin site work this summer with construction of the new
center to begin early 2023.

In 2019, with the help of the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce, the Baxter
Forward Initiative created the very first Entertainment District in the State of
Arkansas. This has been key in redevelopment of Downtown Mountain Home
now known as “The District”.

In 2020, with the help of Baxter Healthcare, the Mountain Home A&P
Commission, Farmers and Merchants Bank and many other generous sponsors,
the Baxter Summer Concert Series kicked off at Hickory Park and is now about to
begin it’s third season on May 28, 2022.

In 2021, with the help of ASUMH, the Coulter Family, City of Mountain Home
Street and Parks Departments and many other sponsors, the first annual Coulter
Celebration of Holiday Lights was held on the campus of ASUMH. Planning for
this event began in early 2021, and was a huge success. This is a wonderful
Holiday Event for all to enjoy from Thanksgiving to Christmas and will continue
annually.

If reelected, I will continue to work on improving the quality of life and

infrastructure for citizens of Mountain Home. I look forward to another
opportunity to serve Mountain Home and work with the many groups in our area
to make Mountain Home the place we continue to call home.